1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing reels comprising a mechanism for recovering the fishing line.
In most fishing reels used at the present time on fishing rods, the nylon fishing line is wound on an axial reel, namely a reel whose axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fishing rod. During operations for recovering the line, it is wound progressively on the reel by a recuperator driven with a rotational movement with longitudinal axis about the reel and driven by a crankshaft whose end forms a handle. To be readily accessible and functional, the crankshaft comprises a radial arm a first end of which carries the main rotational shaft connecting the crank-handle to the reel body and a second end of which carries a handle mounted for rotation on the arm. The main rotational shaft of the crank-handle is substantially perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis of the reel, or longitudinal axis of the fishing rod. The handle is rotatable about a screw forming an axial rotational shaft parallel to the main crank-handle rotational shaft. The result is that the handle occupies a highly prominent position on the side of the fishing rod and of the reel, which makes it readily accessible and functional.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In known fishing reels, such as the one shown in the document FR-A-2 487 637, the handle is formed of a rigid body, of a general flattened parallelepipedic shape, having a throughbore in which a screw is inserted with slight clearance whose head bears on the external face of the handle body and the shank end of which is screwed to the end of the radial crank-handle arm. The handle comprises a bearing face cooperating by sliding with slight play with the end of the crankshaft arm. To permit ready and smooth rotation of the crank-handle, for limiting friction and so as to provide economic manufacture, a sufficient clearance must be left between the handle and the corresponding end of the crankshaft arm. The result is the appearance of a groove at the interface between the handle and the crankshaft arm.
Because of its highly prominent position, the fishing reel crankshaft, and particularly its handle, are likely to be subjected to relatively violent shocks during use of the fishing equipment. Such violent and repeated shocks very often lead to twisting or breaking of the screw connecting the handle to the crankshaft arm. The shocks also lead to damage of the external handle surface, which surface must be in an appropriate condition for preventing the fingers of the user from slipping. The result is an unacceptable deterioration of the handle and of the crankshaft arm.
Furthermore, the annular groove between the crankshaft and the handle leads to specific problems appearing because of the use of fishing reels with a fishing line generally of small section during certain phases of use of the equipment, the fishing line leaving the reel tends to wind itself in the groove between the handle and the crankshaft arm and to be jammed in this groove. The risk of jamming and winding forms a serious and unacceptable drawback.